Police called the slayings an "isolated" incident and said investigators were following leads but did not have any suspects.

"These are suspicious deaths," said McHenry County Undersheriff Eugene Lowery. "Both are being treated as homicides. We do not believe this is a murder-suicide."

Lowery said one of the couple's two sons found the bodies in the home in the 6200 block of Kilkenny Drive and called police at 2:57 a.m. Monday. The son was checking on the well-being of his parents, Lowery said. He declined to say what prompted the son to make the early-morning check.

The couple's other son had eaten breakfast with Nick Romano at a Crystal Lake restaurant around 7 a.m. Sunday, Lowery said. Police believe that Gloria Romano was alive at the time. An autopsy scheduled for Tuesday may give police a better idea of when the two died, authorities said.

Both sons are cooperating with the investigation, Lowery said.

Nick Romano was a retired equipment superintendent for Pepper Construction Co. and was working part time with a construction-union apprentice program in Plainfield.

He was management's representative and certified the standards and training of heavy-equipment operators, said Bob Paddock, acting coordinator and administrator of the program for Local 150 of the International Union of Operating Engineers.

"He made sure there was no favoritism given to anyone," Paddock said. "He was the one who ensured that we played it by the book."

Nick Romano had worked with the apprentice program for the last six years after a long career with Pepper Construction, Paddock said.

"Nick was a great friend and good instructor and a good person," he said. "He cared about his work and cared about the union very much. ...This is an absolute shock. It is a great loss."

The Romanos' home is in the Killarney Acres subdivision in an unincorporated area of McHenry County near Crystal Lake and Cary.

The home's burglar alarm was working, and there was no sign of forced entry, Lowery said.

Police do not think anything was stolen.

Lowery would not say what type of gun was used and said police were still unsure whether the same weapon killed both victims. He also declined to say whether a gun was found or where in the home the bodies were found.

The source said only that the bodies weren't in the bedroom and that the victims weren't tied.

Neighbors watched from their lawns and through windows as police collected evidence. Few said they knew the couple well, if at all.

Pine trees dot the couple's lot, and landscaping boulders sit in the front yard. The big stones helped maintain their seclusion, according to neighbors.

"He made it perfectly clear that he keeps to himself," said neighbor Greg Paradis. "He said to me, `I keep to myself and I don't pay any attention to other people's stuff.'"

Neighbor Andy Cierniewski said he didn't see Nick Romano much, but when he did, he was nice. Cierniewski let Nick Romano burn leaves in his back yard.

Julie Snelten, who lives down the street from the Romanos' house and operates a trucking company with her husband, Dave, said she has known the Romanos for more than 20 years. Her husband is a trustee of Local 150 of the operating engineers union.

The Romanos were friendly but quiet and kept to themselves, she said.

Nick Romano had to keep busy after retirement, either working for the union or taking care of the home, Snelten said.

The Romanos may have lived on Kilkenny Drive for as long as 30 years, Snelten said. Lowery said he thinks the couple's two sons were raised in the home.

"Their house was always beautiful," Snelten said. "It was perfectly manicured. He was always out working in the yard."

Gloria Romano didn't work or socialize much, she said.

"We've never had any problems in the 20 years we've been here," Snelten said. "If we've forgotten to close the garage door at night, there's never been anything missing. This is very frightening."